Playing their first WPL 2024 game in Delhi, the Gujarat Giants captain chose to bat first in  hopes of a change in fortunes. Beth Mooney and Laura Wolvaardt kicked off the innings with the intent to score quick runs and the pair quickly summed up a 59-run powerplay with no hiccups. The right and left-handed pair took a calculative approach and found regular boundaries, some of which were assisted by sloppy RCB fielding. Wolvaardt switched gears in quick time to hit three back-to-back fours against Ellyse Perry and take the tally 104/0 in 10 overs. RCB’s plan to use seven different bowlers failed to draw first blood until a brilliant Ekta Bisht throw coupled with Richa Ghosh’s rapid reflex ran out Wolvaardt (76) to end a 140-run opening stand. Phoebe Litchfield entered the fray to consolidate a 52-run second partnership before falling prey to another run-out. Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, and Veda Krishnamurthy fell in clusters for single digits but the skipper’s unbridled 85 took them to 199/5.

Similar to their counterpart, RCB got off to a flying start powered by Smriti Mandhana’s back-to-back sixes against Tanuja Kanwer in the third over. However, her assault did not last long as her match-up against right-arm off-spinner favored Ashleigh Gardner and the score read 31/1. Ellyse Perry and Sabbineni Meghana added just eight runs in the remaining 11 balls of the powerplay before the latter fell prey to a run-out in the seventh over. Subsequently, Sophie Devine covered up Ellyse Perry’s batting struggle with two sixes and as many fours before getting cleaned up by Kanwer with the score reading 76/3 in 10.1 overs. In a space of three overs, Perry followed suit to the dugout and just when Richa Ghosh was beginning to look commanding, Ashleigh Gardner got the better of her. With 58 runs required from 18 balls, Georgia Wareham did not bog down against the uphill task as she smoked the bowlers left, right, and center to pile up a 22-ball 48 before succumbing to the sixth runout of the match. Eventually, their tail failed to accumulate an improbable 33 runs in the ultimate over to hand Giants their maiden WPL 2024 victory.

Captain Beth Mooney scored 85* (51) with 12 Fours and a Six in Today's Match!#TATAWPL | #GGvRCB | #WPL2024pic.twitter.com/V3UPYI0BX7

— IPL Scoop (@Ipl_scoop) March 6, 2024

You lost all!

Even if you are a Royal Challengers Bangalore fan, you still need to appreciate Laura.



Laura Wolvaardt made brilliant 76 of 45 balls and set the Gujrat Giants innings.



Match winning knock from her.pic.twitter.com/jexddoE5cO

— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) March 6, 2024

Damn it!

1 boundary 3 dot balls 

Richa gosh can't rotate strike

— Fazal (@I_am_nothing18) March 6, 2024

Ohhh man!

RCB lost again 🤡#RCBvsGG #RCBvGGpic.twitter.com/Wg3ahg6MC9

— Ctrl C Ctrl Memes (@Ctrlmemes_) March 6, 2024